


somewhere in neverland

by orphan_account



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-29
Packaged: 2017-12-06 09:04:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Henry contracts a magical disease, the only way of saving him is to procure ingredients to a potion only found in a different world. With great reluctance, Emma enlists the help of Captain Hook to help her in her journey to find these ingredients. Nothing could prepare them for what happens once they get to the mysterious, magical, and dangerous world of Neverland.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Cough

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first OUAT fic! I actually just started watching this show a few weeks ago, got all caught up with netflix and hulu and I got a little obsessed with captain swan. here's the result of that. the rating might go up in future chapters, but we shall see. this is supposed to be set around 2x17, and will probably turn AU soon enough but oh well. enjoy!

It all started with a cough.

It kept Emma up at night; Henry’s incessant coughing had been going on for three nights in a row, and it took all of Emma’s willpower not to take a pillow and chuck it in her sons general direction. They had been bunking together ever since he moved out of Regina’s mansion, Emma in the queen-sized bed on the upper level of her and Mary Margaret’s apartment and Henry on a pull out couch in the corner (even though she had argued tirelessly with him to take the bed, he wouldn’t oblige). Emma had been tossing and turning for what seemed like eternity as Henry hacked up a lung on the other side of the room. She hadn’t taken him to the doctor yet, hoping the cough would go away on it’s own. He didn’t have a fever, so it must have just been a mild cough, but it still caused a great deal of strife. For the first two nights, it was an annoyance that created dark circles under her eyes and a grouchy disposition during the daylight hours. Now, coming onto the third night of sleeplessness, Emma couldn’t ignore it any longer. She was in full out parent mode.

She kicked the covers off of her, abandoning all hopes of sleeping. Emma went to Henry’s bedside, putting her hand on his forehead. She was surprised and dismayed to feel his skin radiating an immense amount of heat. He now had a fever, on top of everything.

“Henry?” Emma whispered, shaking his shoulder. Henry made no sign of waking up, but grunted, let out a loud cough and rolled over onto his stomach. Emma frowned. Poor kid. He had been through so much recently, and Emma still felt extremely bad about the whole Neal situation. Henry still treated her a little bit differently since then, and Emma finally understood what it was like to be in Regina’s shoes. She had been naive to think she would be the triumphant hero in Henry’s eyes forever. She knew the time would come when he realized not everyone is perfect, not even his mother, the savior. She just wished it could’ve lasted longer.

Emma left the room as quietly as she could, padding down the stairs to retrieve some cold meds from one of the cabinets in the kitchen. She could hear David snoring from the next room, and she wondered how her mother could stand it. Sure, they were the epitome of true love and all that jazz, but that didn’t mean that snoring suddenly sounded like an angel’s symphony. Sure enough, as Emma grabbed the meds out of the cabinet, Mary Margaret emerged from behind the curtain, looking just as tired as Emma felt.

“Henry’s still coughing, then?” Mary Margaret whispered, slipping by Emma to grab a pot to make tea. Emma nodded as she laid the meds out on the counter, trying to decide which one would be best to give Henry. 

“I’m surprised you haven’t heard it,” Emma said, looking at her mother. Mary Margaret smiled wryly.

“Kind of hard to hear anything over your father these days,” she said, laughing slightly. Emma envied her mother’s easygoing attitude. She wished she had the ability to stay up all night and be perfectly fine with it the next day. Mary Margaret sighed, pouring water into the teapot. “He only snores when he’s stressed. There has been a lot going on, for all of us.”

Ever since the return of magic in Storybrooke, people were still getting used to living in the town with the knowledge of their previous lives, and it was more difficult for some. There were those like Mary Margaret who were perfectly content living in Maine, and had little to no intention of returning back to the Enchanted Forest. Then there were those, such as David, who wanted nothing more than to resume living the lives they had lived before coming to Storybrooke. It was hard to keep up with everyone’s wishes. Archie had more business in the past few months than he had in his 28 years in Storybrooke. 

Emma drummed her fingers on the counter, pondering. “Maybe we should tell them about the beanstalk,” Emma said, “tell them there’s a way of returning to their homes, if that’s what they want to do. It’d calm everyone down, don’t you think?”

Mary Margaret shook her head rapidly. “You can’t do that! Could you imagine what would happen if people knew there was a way of going back? We’d have chaos on our hands, and that’s the last thing we need, especially after Cora-” 

She stopped, unable to continue her sentence. A darkness passed over her face at the sound of Cora’s name. Emma reached out to rub her mother’s arm. The murder of Cora was still a fresh wound for Mary Margaret, and while she wasn’t in the laying-in-bed-til-I-die phase, she was still extremely sensitive. Emma knew taking Cora’s life had been necessary, even if Mary Margaret didn’t. They were all better off without her, with the exception of Regina.

Mary Margaret continued making tea, a little more sober than she had been before. “That beanstalk is both a weapon and a shield for us right now. We need to be smart about how we use it.”

“Besides, I don’t even know if Tiny has gotten any beans from it yet,” Emma added. She had no idea how magic beanstalks were supposed to work. 

Mary Margaret nodded. “We don’t want it to fall into the wrong hands.”

“Or hand,” Emma said, smirking at the pun. Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, but looked a little uncomfortable. 

“Do you have any idea where he is?”

“Hook? No. Last we saw him, he was trying to kill Gold in New York,” Emma said, thinking back that fateful day. Neal had been a part of their lives for nearly a month now, and Emma was still unsure how she felt about it. While she was glad that Henry had his father, she knew she would never be able to fully forgive him for what he had done to her. That year in jail was the worst of her life, and the fact that Neal had left her there to serve it for him still made her quite angry. 

Emma didn’t like thinking back to the day that they had found Neal, not only because of Henry accusing her of being a liar, but also because a part of her felt bad for leaving Hook in the closet. She knew she couldn’t trust the pirate, and she didn’t want to. But still, Hook wasn’t from here. He had sailed to New York on the damn Jolly Roger, for Christ’s sake. New York was a scary place for any outsider, but she couldn’t imagine waking up there alone and surrounded by an alien world. She knew Hook could take care of himself, and she wouldn’t be surprised if he ended back in Storybrooke any day now; she would admit to walking down to the docks at night to see the infamous ship sitting at the dock, only now with it’s brazen captain standing on it with that coy look in his blue eyes and a snarky little smirk on his lips and a quick witted quip on the tip of his tongue. But it had been a month, and she had yet to see him. She wondered where he was, if he was still in New York or if he gave into his pirate nature and decided to explore the new world. Part of her even wondered if he had found a way back to the other world, but she knew that was impossible.

Emma knew Hook would never give up his vengeance. She was confident that as long as Gold was in Storybrooke, Hook would find his way back. It was only a matter of time.

The teapot started blaring it’s high-pitched cry. Mary Margaret took it off the stove quickly and poured it into two mugs. Emma took the mug from her, holding it in her hands as she let it cool. Mary Margaret took a sip right away, and she sat down in a chair at the counter, her tired eyes drooping.

“All I want is peace,” Mary Margaret said quietly, giving Emma a grimace. “Why is that so hard?”

“Well, this is Storybrooke,” Emma contended, sitting down next to her, hearing David’s snores still echoing in the apartment. “Peace isn’t something that comes easily, I guess.”

Mary Margaret shook her head in wonder. “All of this fighting, the battles and the grudges. Where does it lead anyone? Just death, and suffering. If only people knew that bad intentions lead to bad decisions, which in turn create bad consequences,” she murmured, swirling her tea around with a small spoon. 

Emma tilted her head. “You’re talking about Regina, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” Mary Margaret replied. “She’ll never let me have peace. Not after what I’ve done to her.”

“Mary Margaret,” Emma cut in, placing her hand over her mothers on the counter. “Regina has done awful things, some for no reason at all. Think of all the lives she’s ruined. She deserves everything she gets. You committing one necessary heinous act doesn’t erase all the ones that she’s done without cause. Don’t let yourself think she’s blameless.”

“Oh I know she isn’t, Emma,” Mary Margaret whispered, giving a humorless laugh. “But I’m Snow White. I’m supposed to help people, not kill them.”

“You’re not supposed to do anything,” Emma said strongly. “You’re not just some character in a book. You are who you are, and you’re the best person I’ve ever known.”

At that, Mary Margaret’s eyes swelled with tears, and she leaned forward, resting her head on Emma’s shoulder. Emma held her tight, hating that Mary Margaret was full of so much self-disgust. Emma would give anything to be like her mother. She meant every world she said. Mary Margaret was an amazing human being. She didn’t want Cora or Regina to ever let anyone, especially Mary Margaret, doubt that.

Emma placed her mug on the counter, accidentally knocking over a box of meds she had lined up. The sound of it smacking against the counter reminded Emma of why she came down here in the first place. She reached over to grab it, but she stopped. She realized that since she had been downstairs, she hadn’t heard Henry cough. Not even once.

She stood up abruptly, a feeling of dread passing over her. She didn’t know why; if he wasn’t coughing, that meant he was better, right? Somehow, it seemed too good to be true. 

“Emma?” Mary Margaret was looking at her curiously. Emma turned to her.

“I’ll be right back,” Emma said, grabbing the box and going upstairs to her room. She found it incredibly odd that in the time she had been downstairs, Henry had remained quiet. It wasn’t an exaggeration that Henry had been coughing non-stop. For the past three days, he hadn’t gone more than two minutes without coughing. Emma knew, she had counted during the more aggravating moments in the middle of the night. She had to have been down with Mary Margaret for fifteen minutes, and not once did Henry cough. 

She strode over to Henry’s bed; he was still on his stomach. Only this time, he wasn’t coughing. She placed a hand on his forehead, but immediately withdrew it with a gasp when her fingers touched his skin. He was no longer hot. His skin was as cold as thick layer of ice.

“Henry,” Emma said urgently, trying to shake him awake. Henry didn’t move. 

“ _Henry!_ ” Emma shouted, rolling him over and feeling his pulse. It was faint and slow. The breaths leaving Henry’s lips were hollow and Emma noticed his lips were starting to turn blue, almost as if he was freezing to death. Horror shot through Emma as she tried to wake her son up. “No. Henry, please, please wake up,” she pleaded, slapping his face gently, trying to stir him. She even pinched him, trying to get even the smallest of flickers of life. Henry did nothing.

What could be wrong with him? Emma realized in an flash that his sickness was something more than a cough. She couldn’t help but shake him in vain, hoping he’d just wake up and be okay. “Henry! Henry! Please, Henry, oh my God...”

Footsteps were coming up the stairs, and Mary Margaret appeared at the door. “Emma, why are you shouting? What’s going on?”

“It’s Henry!” Emma cried, panicked. “He won’t wake up!”

Mary Margaret came to the other side of the bed, feeling his face. Her eyes widened. “Oh no...no. It can’t be.”

“What!?” Emma shouted at her, her eyes whipping back and forth from her comatose son to her shocked mother. “What is it?” 

Mary Margaret didn’t respond. She backed away from the bed, horror etched on her every feature as she called for her husband. Emma felt dizzy, grasping onto Henry’s hand tightly. She had a feeling Mary Margaret knew what was wrong with Henry, and whatever it was, was nothing good. A few moments later, David Nolan stormed into the room in his pajamas fully alert, almost as if he hadn’t been in a deep sleep just minutes before. 

“Mary Margaret. Emma, is everything okay?”

“No,” Emma whispered, turning back to Henry. “He won’t wake up, but he was coughing and I went to get him medicine and then he stopped coughing and he was hot and now he’s cold and won’t wake up and I-” She was babbling, unable to think clearly as she watched her son lay there helplessly. Her first thought was that Regina would kill her if something happened to Henry, but her next thought was that Emma would probably end her own life if something happened to Henry that could’ve been avoided if she had just taken him to the doctor when he first got his cough.

David neared the bed, touching Henry’s face. “Henry,” he murmured, cupping his grandson’s face. “Are you there?”

Henry didn’t react. He simply laid there, and Emma swore his lips looked even bluer than they had before.

“What’s _wrong_ with him?” Emma demanded, looking at her parents. Mary Margaret stared hard at her husband, who in turn let out a long breath.

“How long has Henry been coughing?” he asked, not looking at Emma.

“Th-three days,” Emma stammered, her heart beating fast. “Why?”

David lowered his head. His hand dropped from Henry’s face. Mary Margaret face was twisted in a deep sadness and Emma felt as if her heart was going to explode in her chest at any second.

“It looks to me that Henry has contracted the Blackness.”

* * *

“What the _hell_ is the Blackness?” Emma asked Dr. Whale as she followed him to Henry’s bed, Mary Margaret and David towing behind them. It was 4 AM, and Henry was one of the only patients in the ER. Emma hated this damn hospital. She hated that she had to see Henry once again on his deathbed, and she couldn’t stop herself from trembling with fear every time one of the machines hooked up to Henry beeped. She felt like she was going to lose him at any moment and nobody would tell her what the fuck was wrong with her son. Dr. Whale was reading Henry’s vitals, but he shrugged.

“I have no idea. I would have to assume it’s a magical affliction, so I wouldn’t have had it in my land,” Dr. Whale replied, but he looked grim. “All I can say is that Henry looks like a patient with intense hypothermia.”

“Well then treat him as if he has hypothermia,” Emma told him, gripping the sides of Henry’s bed tightly. Dr. Whale shook his head.

“It’s not that simple,” Dr. Whale argued. “Hypothermia is caused by an extremely cold environment. If someone had hypothermia, all we would have to do is warm them up. Henry’s body temperature is below 95 degrees, but it’s not because he’s been cold. We can try adding certain fluids to him to see if that helps, but if this is caused by magic, there’s only so much I can do.”

“Don’t tell me that,” Emma snapped, glaring at the doctor. “You’ve brought people back from the dead. You’re telling me you can’t warm a kid up a couple of degrees without magic?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Swan,” Dr. Whale said, resigned. “There’s nothing I can do.”

Emma was ready to berate him, but Mary Margaret put her hand on her arm. “Emma, he’s right. There’s no cure for this. I’ve seen many people who had this back in the Enchanted Forest, and there was nothing that could be done. That’s why it’s been called the Blackness; there’s no going seeing the light again once it occurs.”

“So you’re just going to give up,” Emma bit back, not believing her mother’s words, “you’re just going to let him die?”

“Of course not, Emma,” David cut in, putting his arm around her. “You know your mother and I will fight this with you til the end. We _will_ find a cure, I promise you.”

Emma couldn’t stop the tears that had been threatening to fall from her eyes since she had discovered Henry was sick. She cried into David’s chest, succumbing to the despair. “But what if there really isn’t anything we can do?” Emma muttered, feeling her mother’s hands rubbing her back comfortingly.

“We’ll try the best we can,” Mary Margaret promised. “Things are different here. Maybe Regina will find a way to reverse the sickness.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” came Regina’s voice from behind Mary Margaret. Her eyes were fierce, her face livid. She was still one of Henry’s emergency contacts, so she must have gotten word that Henry was in the hospital. Regina rushed to the other side of Henry’s bed, brushing her fingers in his hair, her eyes heavy with sadness. For a second, Emma empathized with her; they were Henry’s mothers after all. She knew Regina was the only one who could feel a semblance of the pain the Emma felt. When Regina backed away, Emma could tell she was holding back from strangling them all with magic right then and there. Regina scowled at Emma, her fists clenched. “I hope you realize what you’ve done, Miss Swan. The Blackness is curable.”

“It is?” Emma asked, relief washing through her. “How?”

“By not letting the coughing exceed two days.” Regina said venomously. She looked more angry than Emma had ever seen her, and that was saying a lot. Emma’s fears were confirmed; if she had only gone to the doctor two days ago, she could have prevented this. Regina walked around the bed, nearing Emma as she drove the dagger in deeper. “The Blackness can be halted if it is stopped in it’s tracks before the coughing gets out of hand. He’s been coughing for days now, correct?”

“Yes,” Emma whispered.

Regina’s lip curled. “You’re useless. You know nothing of our land. You know _nothing_ of being a mother.”

“That’s enough Regina,” David snapped, tightening his arm around Emma. But what if she was right? Emma hadn’t raised Henry. She hadn’t been there to change diapers and feed him. She hadn’t been there when he was sick. She didn’t think it would be imperative to take him to the doctor straight away, but was that common knowledge for a parent? Emma felt like the floor was giving away at her feet. Maybe Regina was right. Maybe she was a terrible mother.

“Regina,” Mary Margaret said softly. Regina looked at her slowly, pure hatred evident in her dark eyes. Mary Margaret flinched, but continued. “Is there anything you can do to help him?”

“Don’t you think I already would have if I could?” Regina sniped. But she turned back to her son, her eyes stone cold. “It’s gone too far now. There’s no hope of saving him.” With that awful truth out in the open, Emma broke down, gripping David tightly as she sobbed into his chest. He held on to her, but suddenly he was wrenched aside. Emma’s head shot up, and Regina filled her vision. In a second, Emma was flung back into the wall, and she was surprised her spine didn’t snap in two upon impact. 

“Regina!” Mary Margaret cried, but Regina flicked her finger and she too was thrown to the side with her husband.

_“You killed my son!”_ Regina screamed at Emma. Vines erupted from the wall of the hospital, squeezing around Emma until she could no longer breathe. Emma choked, clawing at the vines desperately.

“Regina, stop this,” Dr. Whale shouted, trying to grab her but she held him back, vines sprouting from the ground and wrapping around his feet to keep him in place.

Emma’s vision started to darken. The dizziness she had felt before intensified, and she could barely keep her head up. She tried to talk, but no sound would come out. This was the end. She had killed Henry, and now Regina would take her life. She was oddly okay with it. She didn’t want to live in a world without her son, and dying by Regina’s hand seemed to be the just way to go. She closed her eyes, feeling the world slip away.

Suddenly, it stopped. Emma fell to the ground, her palms hitting the floor as she coughed, trying to get air back in her body. Tears were still slipping down her face, but she brushed them away, struggling to look up and see what had happened. Mr. Gold and Neal stood at the doorway, Mr. Gold’s hand raised towards Regina, who was now strewn on the floor, unconscious. He lowered his hand, looking wearily at Emma. 

“I can’t leave you three alone without Regina attempting to end your lives, can I?” He mused, raising an eyebrow. David and Mary Margaret got to their feet, rushing over to see if Emma was okay. She waved them away, helping herself as she looked to Mr. Gold.

“Is she alright?” Emma asked, gesturing towards the Evil Queen.

“Just knocked out. She’ll be up on her royal feet soon enough,” Mr. Gold answered. He strode into the room, Neal right behind him. Neal was staring at the bed in shock. He looked at Emma, fear and questions in his eyes. Emma knew Neal was just as new at this whole parenting thing as she was. She bit her lip, feeling guilt in every fiber of her being. Henry was not just hers. He belonged to Neal, to her parents, to Mr. Gold. He had family all around. She was supposed to be his savior and yet she was the reason he laid sick and dying in that bed. She wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering. She was the reason he would die.

Emma shook her head. What was she doing? There was no time to feel self-pity. She wouldn’t let herself get defeated by a stupid illness. She would fight it, just like her parents said they would. She would find a cure. She would save her son. There was no other option.

“He has the Blackness,” Emma told Neal and Mr. Gold in a flat tone. “I’ve been told there’s no cure, but I refuse to believe that. All magic can be undone, right?”

“Not this,” Neal said slowly, shaking his head. He was shaking as well. In the little time he had known Henry, he had already grown to love him more than anything. Emma could see that. She swallowed. 

“Gold. There has to be something you can do.” 

Mr. Gold shook his head. “I wish there was, dearie. I wish there was.” Something was off about his tone, but Emma ignored it. She couldn’t believe them. Were they so willing to let Henry die? She wasn’t giving up. There had to be a way to stop this. Henry couldn’t die. He just couldn’t.

As soon as she thought this, the door to the ER opened and in came the Blue Fairy. “I came as soon as I heard,” the Blue Fairy said, reaching Henry’s bedside. She felt Henry’s forehead, and Emma watched her retract her hand quickly from the cold. The Blue Fairy sighed. “It’s regrettable this had to happen to such a brave young boy.”

Emma shook her head. They were all so set on Henry dying. Didn’t they know she was going to let that happen? “There has to be a cure,” Emma muttered, staring at her son. “Please.”

The Blue Fairy turned, meeting Emma’s eyes with reservation. “There is.”

Mr. Gold scoffed. “I think if that were the case, I would know about it.”

The fairy frowned at him. “You may be the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin, but you are not omniscient. There are things even you do not know. Things the fairies know a great deal about.”

“I am the most powerful magician in all the lands,” Mr. Gold shot back. “If it has to do with magic, I know about it. And I know there is not a cure for this disease.”

“Your arrogance will be your undoing,” she said simply. “You are wrong.”

Mr. Gold opened his mouth to retort, but Emma had enough. “Whatever, we get it Gold, you’re the most powerful of them all. Now will someone please tell me how the hell to cure my son?”

The Blue Fairy turned her eyes to Emma, wary. “It is a difficult to task; I can’t think of anything harder to accomplish. The chances of you surviving this journey are very slim. That’s why we never disclosed the cure to the disease; far too many lives would perish in a vain attempt to collect the ingredients needed for the cure.”

“But you didn’t think it could save even more lives if everyone knew what the cure was?” Mary Margaret cut in, looking devastated. “I knew of so many who were victims to this sickness. And there was a way to cure it all along.” She looked ill herself from the thought. David put his arms around her, but he looked to the Blue Fairy.

“Could you just tell us how to get the ingredients? We can decide whether or not it’s worth it for ourselves, thanks. And when it comes to Henry’s life,” David cast Emma a look, “anything is worth it.”

The Blue Fairy sighed, but nodded. She looked over at Regina, still passed out on the floor, and left Henry’s bedside, nearing the rest of them. Emma could see the resignation in her face. She wondered what could possibly be so hard about attaining a few ingredients for a potion. She did believe the Blue Fairy however, she did not care how hard it was. If it was possible, and it would save Henry, she would do it. There was no doubt in that.

“There is a place,” the Blue Fairy began, looking at Emma intently, “where all of the ingredients needed for the antidote can be found. You will need moonpetal, sacred water, and firemouth. All of these combined will create a potion that can cure Henry. They’re all very hard to collect, but what’s harder is managing your time.”

“How do you mean?” 

The Blue Fairy took a breath. “Where the ingredients are, time doesn’t exist. It’s almost impossible to know how much time you spend once you’re there. The days don’t work the same there as they do here. Time doesn’t move on. Everything, and everyone, stays the same. Almost like Storybrooke was before the curse was broken.”

“Why is that a problem?”

“Henry doesn’t have much time,” the Blue Fairy deadpanned. “A week at the most.”

Emma closed her eyes. A week to find the hardest ingredients ever in a land where time is almost untrackable? No wonder the Blue Fairy was reluctant in revealing this information. It was downright impossible. But Emma wasn’t giving up. “Okay. Where do we have to go?” Emma asked, dreading the response. She had heard of a place where time didn’t exist, and she knew what the fairy was going to say.

“Neverland.” 

So Neverland did exist. Emma remembered Hook speaking about the Lost Boys on their way up the beanstalk, though part of her didn’t actually believe he was talking about the Lost Boys. She was still adjusting to the whole magic/storybook thing. It was one thing for Snow White to exist, and Prince Charming and the dwarves. But Neverland? Even Emma remembered how dangerous the description of Neverland was in the stories. She remembered the Indians, the mermaids, the crocodile...Emma looked at Gold. She pondered if he truly was the only crocodile she had to keep her eyes on. 

Emma let out a long breath. “Alright. Count me in.”

“No,” David interjected immediately, grabbing Emma’s wrist. “I’ve heard of how dangerous Neverland is. You’re not going alone.”

“I think if a bunch of orphan boys can wander there alone safely, I can manage,” Emma replied, resolved. “Besides, I’m not letting anyone else I love get hurt.”

“You’re not going alone,” David repeated. “We’re going with you.”

“Someone has to stay with Henry,” Emma told him firmly. 

“Mary Margaret will,” David proposed, but Mary Margaret instantly shook her head.

“If you think for one second I’m letting you go to Neverland without me to protect you both...” Mary Margaret trailed, fuming. 

“Henry needs family here with him,” David told her patiently. “Someone has to stay.”

“What about Neal?” Mary Margaret said, looking at him expectantly. “You and your father and Regina can stay with Henry, and the three of us can go to Neverland.”

“I’m going,” Neal said resolutely. “No freakin’ way I’m not.”

“No,” Emma said, looking at Neal. “We can’t both go, not if it’s this risky.”

“Listen, I know Neverland,” Neal admitted, scratching the back of his head. Gold looked at him questionably, but Neal ignored him. “I’ve spent a long time there. I know it like the back of my hand. If there’s anyone you need to guide you through there, it’s me.”

“Neal,” Emma pleaded, her eyes filling with tears again. “I will not make Henry an orphan. If it’s really as dangerous as the Blue Fairy says it is, it’s possible something could happen to us. I can’t risk Henry losing both his parents, I just can’t. He needs at least one of us to stay, and you know it can’t be me.”

Neal looked like he wanted to argue, but thankfully, he didn’t. He understood where Emma was coming from more than anyone else in the room. They both grew up without their parents. They both knew how hard it was to be a kid with no one to look up to. Neal sighed. “Fine,” he muttered, “I’ll stay with the kid. But you’re gonna have a hard time navigating through Neverland without someone who knows it.”

“There is someone who could help us,” Mary Margaret said, frowning. She met Emma’s eyes. She knew who her mother was talking about. Emma wanted to say no. She wanted to find a way that could ensure Neal could go with them and still return in one piece, because there was nobody she trusted less to help them keep Henry alive than the one her mother was about to name.

Mary Margaret grimaced. “We need to find Hook.”

* * *

Emma sat on the dock of Storybrooke, her legs swaying beneath and her feet hovering above the surface of the ocean. It was cold, her skin was numb and she was shivering with a combination of being freezing and being scared. As soon as her mother said they would need Captain Hook to go on this journey with them, her stomach sank in dread. 

Hook had been missing for over a month now. The chances of him returning in the next week were slim to none, and even if he did, it wouldn’t be good enough. They needed as much time as they could get. Hook had to be here now if they had any chance of saving Henry. And even if he were here now, what was to say he’d even agree to help them? Emma had knocked him out the last time she’d seen him. She had handcuffed him to the Giant’s castle. He didn’t trust her, and she most certainly didn’t trust him. 

She didn’t want Hook’s help, anyway. Sure, was he the only one who knew Neverland just as well if not better than Neal claimed to? Probably. But Emma knew Hook was a sunshine patriot; he only helped those he thought would succeed. That’s what he had said before they climbed the beanstalk. He was only trying to find a way to Storybrooke, and he cared not who took him there. He’d fight along side Emma, Mary Margaret, Mulan and Aurora just as easily as he would Cora. She didn’t want someone on this quest who’s allegiance could change at any moment. Whoever was on the winning side. Staring at the face of the most difficult journey imaginable, it was hard to see how they could even triumph at all. They weren’t even sure they had the magic beans yet; they needed two, one to get to Neverland and one to return to Storybrooke. Mary Margaret and David were finding Tiny now to figure out if they could get the beans, but the odds weren’t stacked in their favor.

But it was all for Henry. Emma had to save him. If this meant enlisting Hook’s help on a journey to Neverland, she’d do it. She knew Hook was an asset in this mission. He most likely knew Neverland better than anyone. He had a ship. He had ties to Neverland that nobody really knew of, but ties nonetheless. He was their best hope in saving Henry, and that’s all that mattered to her.

“Come on, Hook,” Emma murmured, looking out towards the horizon as the sun started to rise. “I need you.”

“I always knew you’d warm up to me eventually,” came a toying, amused voice from behind her. 

Emma stood up immediately, turning around. Hook was sitting on the edge of the Jolly Roger, smirking down at her. His expression was light, but Emma could see a tightness in his eyes; she knew he hadn’t forgotten their previous encounter. His long black coat billowed beneath him, and Emma could see the rising sun reflecting on his translucent skin. He was like a poisonous flower, beautiful to look at but dangerous if you got too close. Emma swallowed, raising her chin to him, trying to look as calm as possible, when in fact her heart was racing with nerves. He had to agree to help her, otherwise it could be the end for Henry.

Emma stepped forward, watching him curiously. “How long have you been here?”

Hook shrugged, raising his hook and observing it, twisting it as if it was under a scrutinous inspection. “A week, give or take. Nobody thought to check the ship, did they? Except for you,” Hook’s smirk became more pronounced as he returned his eyes to her. “Coming down here every night to see if I was here? I’m flattered, darling, beyond belief. If only you hadn’t interrupted my slaughter of the crocodile, we might have been able to come to an agreement.” He licked his lips, winking at her. Emma rolled her eyes.

“In your dreams,” Emma informed him, then added, “and not even then.”

“I always admired your crassness,” Hook said, but his smirk disappeared. “However bold you may be, it seems you need something from me. And I might not be too willing to help.”

“My son is dying,” Emma told him, the desperation not hidden well in her voice. “The only way he can be cured is by ingredients found in Neverland, so-”

“So you need me to lead the way on your noble expedition because I’m from Neverland,” Hook finished. Emma frowned, but nodded, feeling ashamed and helpless. Hook sighed, hopping down from the edge and walking deliberately slow towards the stairs down to the dock. “It’s not often I can deny a beautiful damsel in distress my assistance,” Hook said, sauntering down the steps, his ice blue eyes examining her closely. He moved closer to her, and it took everything Emma’s self-control not to take a cautious step back. Hook stopped a few inches in front of her, his head bobbing down close to hers. “Do you know what’s like waking up in a dark, small room all alone with a bump on the head, only to find that my ship has been stolen by the very people who put me there? I’m not going to lie, sweetheart, the door to that cupboard underwent the wrath of my hook that really should have been meant for you.”

Emma could just see Hook waking up, angry and startled, beating the door with his hook in a rage. Hook raised his hook to her face, gently gliding the tip of it down her cheek. She stayed still, praying the blade wouldn’t pierce her skin. Hook was looking at her intensely, all signs of previous amusement swept from his face. “It’s rather bold, even for you, to ask me for such help after the animosity that’s occurred between us.”

“Please, Hook,” Emma breathed, her eyes wide as his hook grazed down her throat. “You’re the only one who can help me. I need you.”

“I heard as much,” Hook replied softly, leaning even closer to her than before. She could feel his breath on her cheek as his lips slid across her face, finding the shell of her ear. Emma wanted to push him into the water and run, but his hand ran up her arm, holding her in place as his lips moved against her ear. “How much do you need me, love?” he whispered.

“Stop,” Emma muttered, her hands raising to his chest to shove him away. His grip tightened on her, his hook wrapping around her wrist. She was completely pinned to him, her hands uselessly squished between their bodies. She could feel him against her, his breath tickling the side of her neck. She let out a shaky breath, trying to untangle herself. “Hook.”

“Swan,” he said back, his fingers curling around her arm. “Tell me.”

Emma knew it was the only way to get him to help. She had to whatever he said to ensure he helped her. She no longer cared about looking desperate. If Henry died, so would she.

“I need you like my life depends on it.”

She could feel Hook smile into her neck, and her stomach plunged even further downward at the sensation, though she didn’t know why. Hook withdrew his head from hers, unhooking himself from her and taking a step back. “When you put it that way, darling, how could I begin to refuse you.”

Emma felt disgusted, but she kept her mouth shut. She just needed him as a ticket to Neverland, nothing more. If he could keep spewing all the lascivious remarks he wanted to as long as he agreed to help her. 

“So you’ll do it then, you’ll take us to Neverland?” Emma confirmed, eyeing him.

Hook nodded. “I tire of this pathetic world anyway. Returning to Neverland would be a nice change of scenery. And since the crocodile is dead, I see no reason why I should stay here.”

Emma scrunched her eyebrows together, confused. “Gold didn’t die though, he’s here in Storybrooke-”

Once she said it, she realized the mistake she made. Anger flooded Hook’s face and he looked at sharply. “Pardon me?”

“Uh...well, I mean, he’s-”

For the second time that night, the silver hook found it’s way around her wrist, only this time it was raised over her head as she was jerked forward. She let out a cry as Hook whipped her around, pushing her into the side of the ship. “The hook was poisoned. I did it myself. There was no chance he could have survived that wound, I made sure of it.”

“Mary Margaret found a candle that could take a life to preserve another,” Emma said quickly, “she switched Cora’s for Gold’s.”

“Cora’s dead?” Hook said incredulously, though he didn’t seem too sad.

“Yes.”

Hook took a step back, and then, in a fit of fury, he reared his hook back and plunged it into the wood of the ship, right beside Emma’s head. She gasped, boxed in once again by Hook’s body. Hook swore, his good fist clenched in anger by his side as he looked over towards the town. Emma realized Hook hadn’t returned to Storybrooke to kill Gold; he had thought Gold to be dead. He must have come back to get his ship and sail away. So then why wait a week to sail out? What was he waiting for?

Hook looked back to Emma, furious. “Deal’s off. My priority is to kill Rumplestiltskin, and I will not do anything until that has been accomplished.”

Emma felt a wave of panic come over her. “No, Hook, please. You’re the only one who can take us to Neverland and help us, your vengeance can wait, can’t it?”

Hook gave her a wild look. “And risk you lot locking me up or offing me as soon as we return? Not a chance, love.”

With that, Hook broke away from her, heading towards the town. Emma couldn’t let him leave. She needed him to help and she needed him now. “Hook,” Emma shouted, running after him, “Hook, wait!”

“That worked once before, lass, but it won’t work again,” Hook called back over his shoulder. Emma caught up to him and grabbed his arm, twisting him around. She took his lapel in her hands gripping it tightly. He was taken aback, and Emma used that to her advantage.

“Look. It can wait. I promise nothing will happen to you if you help us,” Emma paused, and then added, “I’ll even help you with your plan to kill Gold.”

Hook eyed her suspiciously, though he made no move to break from her grasp. “You would help me kill the crocodile. You.”

“Yes,” she promised, desperate. Of course she wouldn’t, but she just needed him to believe that. 

Hook surveyed her for a long moment. Emma held her breath. After a while, he shook his head, pulling away from her. 

“I wish I could trust you, Swan. But alas, I do not. Go seek help elsewhere.”

Without another word, Killian Jones started walking back towards the town. 

Emma didn’t follow him this time. She knew it was no use. Hook had every right not to trust her. She would eventually betray him, they both knew that. It was hopeless. Henry would die. Before Emma knew it, she was on the floor of the dock, crying mercilessly into her palms. She hated feeling so helpless. She needed to save her son, and there was nothing in this world that she could do, literally. She cried until her sides hurt and her face grew sore. 

The sun was rising in the sky. Emma knew that every second was another one wasted. They’d have to go to Neverland without Hook, which meant the chances of them returning with the cure were even less likely than it was before. And that was even if they had the beans to get there. Emma hugged herself, tears still sliding down her cheeks as she tried to think of something, anything that could get Hook to trust her. 

Then, it hit her.


	2. The Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all these promo shots of hook and emma on the jolly roger are making me that much more pumped for the show to come back on, ugh! looks like this story isn't too far off from the real thing ;) enjoy!

“You’re sure this will work?”

“If it doesn’t, we’re all out of options.”

Mary Margaret sighed on the other line. Emma pressed the phone hard against her ear, closing her eyes. “I _can’t_ lose my son.”

“I know, Emma,” Mary Margaret said softly, “but if Gold ever finds out-”

“He won’t,” Emma assured her, though she wasn’t sure if she was telling the truth or not. In any case, it didn’t matter to Emma whether or not Gold discovered what she had done in an effort to persuade Hook to take them to Neverland. If things worked out the way she planned, she’d be long gone in Neverland before he suspected a thing.

“Alright,” Mary Margaret replied, sounding weary. “What do you need me to do?”

Emma quickly explained what her plan was, hoping Mary Margaret would be able to accomplish the task at hand. When they hung up, Emma felt a small sense of hope budding in her gut. She prayed this would work - not only because it would help her in getting Hook back to Neverland, but if Mr. Gold ever found out what she had just done, she’d have even more problems on her hands than she already did. Emma sat in a small room on the bottom of the Jolly Roger at a circular table that must’ve been where the pirates ate during their voyages on the ship. Hook had left for the town nearly two hours previously. She didn’t know when he’d be back, but that was what Mary Margaret was for. She was to ensure that under no circumstances could Gold and Hook be in the same place at the same time. Emma was hoping if Hook couldn’t find Gold in town, he’d return to the ship to recuperate. Time was still of the essence, however, and Emma waited with bated breath for the scoundrel of a captain to return.

A few hours passed before Emma heard footsteps on the deck of the ship above. She was grateful that there was only one pair of footsteps; she didn’t even want to think of how awkward it’d be if Hook picked up a lady friend in town and brought her back to the ship. She didn’t want anyone to know she was going to him for help. The less people who knew, the better. For Henry’s sake.

“You’re still here, are you?”

Emma looked up to see Hook standing in the doorway of the room. He leaned against the doorframe almost lazily, tilting his head to the side as his ice blue eyes observed her. She raised her chin and nodded. “I’m not leaving this ship until you agree to help me get to Neverland.”

“Then I’m afraid you might as well pretend to be one of those chairs,” Hook said, his tone flat, “because you’re not going anywhere.”

Emma stood; she expected he’d act as much. “I have something that will change your mind.”

“Oh I doubt that. Unless you’ve got Rumplestiltskin tied up in that pocket of yours with a pretty bow on his head, you will not sway me, Swan.”

“I have the next best thing,” Emma said breathlessly, and withdrew the object sticking out of her pocket carefully. Then next second, she stabbed it right into the table, hard.

Protruding from the round, wooden table was the dagger of Rumplestiltskin.

Hook straightened immediately, his eyes staring sharply at the dagger. “How did you-”

“It doesn’t matter how I got it,” Emma snapped, “you can have it if you help me.” Emma was shocked that Gold had put the dagger back in its old spot in the clock tower. When she realized the dagger would be the perfect bait to get Hook to agree to her plan, she thought there’d be no chance in hell that the dagger was still in the same spot. Imagine her surprise when she looked in the hand of the clock to see the dagger sitting peacefully. It was both stupid and genius to hide it in the same spot. Emma knew Regina wouldn’t waste her time looking there again, assuming Gold would have stashed it some place else. However, it gave Emma the chance to nick it before he realized it was gone.

Hook left his spot in the doorframe, nearing Emma with intense eyes. His steps were slow, deliberate as he got closer to her. “And, let me guess. You’ll give me the dagger just as soon as I return you to Storybrooke. Apologies, Emma darling, but I gave you my trust once before and you gave me a handcuff and a ten hour imprisonment. Forgive me if I’m a little unwilling to trust you again,” Hook murmured, reaching out to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. Emma stopped his hand with her own, lowering it. For the second time that day, his face was far too close to her own.

“I had every right not to trust you,” Emma told him firmly. “You _are_ a pirate, after all.”

“A bloody good one at that,” Hook grinned, then shook his head. “I may be a pirate, but I am a human being as well. I knew you wanted to return to your son. I wasn’t going to get in the way of that, you know.”

Emma still wasn’t sure what to believe. He was Hook; _Captain_ Hook. He was a swashbuckling, treacherous, slippery, deceiving _pirate_. Emma learned a long time ago that trust doesn’t mean the same to anyone; she had trusted Neal, and he had betrayed her. They had been in love. If Neal, the father of her child, could deceive her, Emma believed anyone could, especially Hook. But as Emma looked back at Hook, she could tell he wasn’t lying. His eyes were earnest, his features steady. He looked back at her, and Emma could almost see a small amount of disappointment in his eyes. It was almost as if he wanted her trust a great deal. Unfortunately, Emma wasn’t the type of person who could give that out freely.

“Well, whatever,” Emma said resignedly, “it doesn’t matter now.” Hook’s eyes flashed but he said nothing. Emma ignored him. “I’m not going to wait until we’re back to give you the dagger. You can take it now. Just as long as you decide to take us to Neverland,” she added hastily. 

Hook looked at the dagger, taking his hand to it and running his fingers down the blade. He was pondering. Emma held her breath, praying. This wasn’t even the hardest part. Getting to Neverland, if Hook decided to help, would be easy. It was finding the ingredients once they were there that was going to be difficult. 

Emma watched Hook as he observed the dagger intently. His dark hair trickled over his eyes, his lips were parted slightly, breath coming out calmly. He took his hand back from the knife, using it instead to scratch his beard as he thought. Emma had a strange urge to reach out and feel his stubble beneath her fingertips, to run her fingers across his face and see those eyes look at her in rapturous hunger. She rebuked herself internally, wrapping a hand around her wrist unconsciously. 

Hook leaned back from the table. He met Emma’s eyes once, suspiciously, before ducking his head into a nod. “Yes. I suppose I will indeed be taking you to Neverland.”

Emma could’ve kissed him. She couldn’t contain the excitement and instead grabbed his arms, squeezing gently. “ _Thank_ you, Killian,” she whispered, thankful as anything. He gave her a soft look, and then pursed his lips. He broke from her grasp and took the knife from the table, slipping it into his pocket. Emma eyed it as he did. Little did Hook know, he would not be keeping the dagger for much longer. If Mary Margaret had done what Emma had asked, she’d have a way of getting the dagger back once they were in Neverland.

Almost as if he had read her thoughts, Hook turned to her, scowling. “I’ve given you my trust this time, Swan. Be a good lass and don’t do anything to cause me to regret that.”

Emma swallowed, but smiled. “Of course not.”

“Right,” Hook replied, gesturing for Emma to follow him out of the small room, “we’ll have to prepare the ship for our voyage. I trust you have something that will create a portal?”

“Yes,” Emma said, “David got two from Tiny; one to get us there, and one to bring us back.”

“Brilliant,” Hook said pleasantly, leading the way to the deck of the Jolly Roger. Emma glanced at her watch; it was a little after noon. Henry had been in the hospital for nearly nine hours. The knot in her stomach grew tighter at the thought of him lying there on the white bed, freezing and sleeping and alone. She sighed.

“So, when do we leave?” Emma asked, looking up at Hook. He was glancing out towards the ocean.

“Around nightfall, I reckon.”

“Nightfall?” Emma repeated, outraged. “Hook, no. We have to go as soon as possible, we have to go now!”

“Now? Don’t be daft, sweetheart,” Hook laughed, striding towards the stern. “There’s so much to do before we leave. We must pack, we must get supplies, food, water...who knows what we’ll encounter while we’re there?”

“Well I was kind of hoping you’d know,” Emma muttered under her breath, “that was the whole point of you coming.” If Hook heard her, he ignored her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a telescope, extending it and looking out towards the sea. Emma had to pinch herself to keep her from laughing. She didn’t know people actually used telescopes anymore, except Jefferson, with his creepy habits.

Emma walked over to stand beside Hook, trying to see whatever it was the pirate was looking at. A moment later, he rescinded his telescope, pocketing it and turning to her. She didn’t look at him until he put his good hand on her shoulder, spreading his fingers wide to cup it as he turned her towards him. Her breath stuttered a bit when she looked into his suddenly ravenous eyes. 

“You look quite good on my ship, Miss Swan,” he crooned, his lips curling up into a smirk. She jostled her shoulder, brushing his hand off as she rolled her eyes. 

“Well don’t get used to it. This journey has to be as short as possible, are we clear?”

“Clear as the water in Mermaids' Lagoon,” Hook returned, winking. He then glanced over his shoulder, as if expecting others to be on his ship. “Who else will be joining us on this ingredient hunt?”

“Mary Margaret is gathering some people now,” Emma shrugged, “I’m not sure who yet.” 

Hook nodded, his eyes back on Emma. He was suddenly leaning in, his forehead nearly touching hers. She tried taking a step back, but her lower back hit the edge of the ship. He smiled. “I suppose I couldn’t be as lucky as to have you to myself, hmm?”

“Easy, Valentine,” Emma scolded him, putting her hands on his chest to push him away. “Let’s get one thing clear; I have my personal space bubble, and you have yours. Give me my space and I’ll give you yours.”

“So if I _weren’t_ giving you your space, does that you mean you’d deny me mine?” Hook countered, blue eyes twinkling. “I can’t say I’d have a problem with that, love.”

Emma smiled up at him sweetly, bringing her head closer to his. Then, she lifted her foot and brought it down hard upon his.

Hook yelped, flying back as he hopped on one foot. Emma couldn’t help but laugh, crossing her arms with a grin. “You were in my bubble,” Emma defended herself, still laughing, “so sorry.”

Hook glared at her. He was rubbing his foot with his hand, his face red hot with both pain and humiliation, most likely. “You are quite the woman, Emma Swan,” he said, though his voice was in a sneer. “This is going to be an interesting journey.”

Emma couldn’t help but agree with him.

* * *

Mary Margaret had collected quite the group of people to accompany them to Neverland. She had convinced David to stay home with Henry, though Emma wasn’t sure how she had done it. Prince Charming was currently leaning against the mast sullenly, his arms crossed as he watched Leroy bring crates of food down the stairs into the depths of the Jolly Roger. He looked most unhappy with the end arrangement, but Emma knew he wouldn’t argue with Mary Margaret any further. It also made Emma feel better that her dad would be with Henry. She knew David would never let anything happen to her son.

Along with Leroy, Ruby was helping put supplies down in the ship. She smiled at Emma warmly as she did so. Emma was relieved Ruby was coming. She was not only a good friend, but her ability to turn into a wolf at any given second would be a great asset to them. Emma didn’t know if they’d need a werewolf in Neverland, but it wouldn’t hurt to bring one. 

To Emma’s surprise, she spotted Jefferson fiddling around with some ropes on the deck. “What are you doing here?” she asked, walking over to him.

Jefferson smirked. “You seem shocked. To think I could actually do a good thing for once.”

“Well, you did kidnap my mother,” Emma said dully. Jefferson shrugged, tying knots with the ropes without paying attention to them. 

“Henry gave me the courage to talk to my daughter again. If it weren’t for him, I’d still be staring at her through a telescope,” he admitted sheepishly. He gave Emma one of the most honest looks she had seen from him. “It’s only right for me to help the kid. Besides, I’ve been to Neverland many times through my hat. I know a thing or two about it.”

Information Emma could have used before handing Rumplestilskin’s dagger off to Hook, but it was far too late for that now. Emma just nodded, giving Jefferson her silent blessing before going back to Mary Margaret’s side. Her mother looked extremely worn. Emma bit her lip. She had asked a lot from her today, and part of her felt guilty for making her parents split up once again. But she had to save Henry. Nothing else mattered to her more than that.

“I’m sorry this had to happen,” Emma said, taking a deep breath. “If I had just taken him to the damn doctor...”

“No one blames you, Emma,” Mary Margaret said quietly, patting her arm. “You know that, don’t you?”

Emma shrugged, looking out towards the water. They would be in another world soon enough. Emma hadn’t even taken the time to register that she was going to the actual, straight out of a fairy tale Neverland. She had been too focused on getting Hook to agree to take her that she hadn’t thought about that fact that she was leaving Storybrooke - and Henry - behind.

“We just have to see this through,” Emma whispered, fear growing in her core. “We can’t fail. I don’t know what I’ll do if I never get to hear Henry’s voice again.” Or watch him smile. Take him to dinner at Granny’s. Read the storybook with him. Listen to his theories, his ideas and his beautiful imagination. Her throat tightened, and she felt herself grow dizzy again. She couldn’t think those thoughts. They would succeed. There was no question in that. They had to.

Emma felt a hand on her shoulder; for a wild second, she thought it was Hook again, but it was her father. David pulled Emma into his chest, stroking her hair and sighing. “I love you so much Emma,” her father said, and Emma could hear the small choke in his voice. “I know you’ll get everything you need to save Henry. I have nothing but faith in you.”

“Thanks, dad,” Emma murmured, hugging him back tightly. She was going to miss him. Part of her wanted him to come with her, to protect them and be there by their side as they fought to find the ingredients, but she wouldn’t feel okay with leaving Henry with just Regina. And Gold. And even Neal. She could only truly trust her father to look out for his safety.

David let go of her and turned to his wife. “Snow...”

Mary Margaret eyes filled with tears, and they bowed their heads together, holding each other. Emma turned away, giving them their privacy, the guilt winding around inside of her. She instead focused on Jefferson and Ruby admiring the sunset, pointing towards the radiant colors dancing across the sky. Emma watched the sun sink lower in the sky, orange and pink swirling around in the dusk sky. She wondered if it was going to be her last sunset in Storybrooke. She really hoped not.

An arm wrapped around her shoulders, and this time, it was Hook. “Beautiful, yes?”

“Mhmm,” Emma returned, knowing it wasn’t worth it to push his arm off. Who knew Captain Hook’s true mortal enemy was personal space. 

“Nothing more beautiful than a sunset at sea,” Hook said, but he wasn’t looking at the sun. Emma felt his eyes on her, but she ignored him. 

“Can we leave yet?” Emma pleaded, wanting to just get there and start locating the ingredients. She couldn’t waste her time in Storybrooke any longer. She needed to be in Neverland, and now.

Hook chuckled. Emma felt his hook laying gently on her shoulder, which concerned her a bit, but he removed it, leaning back from her. “As soon as it gets dark, love. We’ll leave in a few minutes.”

Emma nodded, pulling anxiously at the red scarf around her neck. She couldn’t stop thinking about what lay ahead. The Blue Fairy told them they needed something called firemouth, some flower called moonpetal, and water from a sacred oasis. Emma had no idea where to even begin to look for any of those things. She was hoping that Hook, or even Jefferson, would have some sort of an inkling as to how to locate them. She tried to push the doubt from her mind as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, getting it out of her eyes. She then raised her arms over head, stretching her whole body tiredly. She had been up all day. She knew she needed sleep, but she could hardly think about that right now. All that mattered was getting to Neverland. Sleep was far less important. When Emma lowered her arms, Hook was watching her, an unreadable glint in his eyes. Emma was about to ask, but she was interrupted. 

“Hook,” came David’s authoritative voice, ringing across the deck. Emma and Hook turned to see her father standing a few feet away, his arms locked around Snow. He was glaring over at Hook in a way that made even Emma worried. “I’m putting my daughter and my wife’s lives in your hand, so-”

“Let me guess, you’ll flail me alive and make me experience pain the likes of which I’ve never felt before if I don’t bring them back,” Hook retorted, rolling his eyes. 

David shook his head. “No. I’m putting my life in your hand as well. If you don’t return them to me,” he stopped, his eyes meeting Mary Margaret’s, “my life will be lost as well. I will not live without them.” Mary Margaret tightened her arms around him, shaking her head against his chest.

“I will return to you, Charming,” she promised, smiling through her tears. “There’s no doubt in that.”

Prince Charming nodded, returning her smile as he kissed her one last time. Emma looked over at Hook; he looked wildly uncomfortable, but as soon as David pulled back from Mary Margaret, Hook placed a hand on his arm. He looked him straight in the eye, as serious as Emma had ever seen him and said, “I won’t let anything happen to either of them.” Emma couldn’t tell if he was just making false promises or if he was being sincere. Hook was the first and only person who was difficult for Emma to decipher lies from. He seemed like he could be an incredible liar; in the time that Emma had known him, she hadn’t heard one real lie leave his mouth. She knew from personal experience that everyone lies, so it made her wonder if Hook had mastered the art of deception in a way that she couldn’t cry falsehood. Or maybe he truly was a honest man. Emma took a look at him, her eyes stretching from the black smudges around his eyes to the silver hook on his left hand. She scoffed. Honest her ass.

Charming began leaving the ship, not without first assuring Emma that Henry would be under good watch. He left the ship, along with Granny, who had come to see Ruby off, and the dwarves, giving Leroy some last minute encouragement before they embarked. Jefferson was hugging his little girl tightly, brushing the blonde hair back from her eyes with a sad look before Granny took her hand and led her back to the dock. Emma sympathized with him. She knew how hard it was to leave your kid behind. She was extremely grateful that he was coming. Emma knew it was a huge sacrifice because of the risk, and he had just gotten his daughter back after all. Jefferson caught her looking at him and offered a small smile, which she returned. 

The sky had gone completely dark as they started sailing away from Storybrooke. Hook had put Leroy at the steering wheel. The dwarf was more than willing; he had an intense fascination and desire to sail a ship. This was his chance. He wasn’t a bad sailor either. He sailed the ship forward, getting as far away from the shore of Storybrooke as they could, so as not to accidentally suck something (or someone) unwanted into the portal. Emma watched the town grow smaller and smaller as they sailed further away. “I’ll be back, Henry,” she murmured, looking back on the town with sadness.

“This is going to work, Emma,” came Jefferson’s voice from next to her. “We’ll be able to do this, I’m sure of it.” 

He too was watching the town as they sailed away. Emma could just imagine Grace standing on the dock, watching her father leave once again. It couldn’t have been easier for either of them.

“Thank you for doing this, Jefferson,” Emma muttered, walking closer to him. “I can’t even tell you how much I-”

“Save it, Swan,” Jefferson held up a hand, grinning. “Henry’s a good kid. He deserves every bit of help he can get.”

Emma sighed, leaning against the bow of the ship. “I just know how difficult this decision must’ve been for you. If anything happens...”

“I knew the risk when I signed up for this hunting party,” Jefferson told her flatly, leaning against the ship beside her. “I knew there was a chance of not coming back. But I know if it were Grace in that hospital bed, you and Henry and the rest of your family would do the same for me.”

Emma gave him a warm smile. They certainly would. While she and Jefferson hadn’t gotten off to the best of starts, now that the curse had been broken and Emma knew the truth, she and Jefferson had made amends. She still didn’t trust him fully after the stint he pulled with kidnapping Mary Margaret, and Emma knew her mother was not a big fan of the Mad Hatter. But Emma admired his decision to join them, and she knew he’d be a great addition to their little squad. 

Emma heard footsteps drawing close to her and Jefferson. She turned to see Hook standing before them, his eyes narrowed as they darted back and forth between them. Emma cleared her throat, gesturing towards their captain. “Jefferson, have you met-”

“Captain Hook,” Jefferson spoke, straightening. He raised a hand to shake Hook’s. Hook didn’t look too pleased to see Jefferson, and eyed his hand with disdain. Emma frowned.

“Do you two know each other?” she asked.

“Kind of,” Jefferson admitted, shrugging. “Like I said, I dropped into Neverland a lot. Kind of hard to miss the man with a hook for a hand.” Jefferson lowered his hand, having clued in that the pirate had no intention of shaking it. Hook raised an eyebrow.

“You look much different than on the last occasion I saw you, Hatter,” Hook told him, crossing his arms. “Then again, most people do look rather different while fearing for their life under my hook,” he smirked. Jefferson scowled.

“I was only fearing for my life because you clearly weren’t in the right state of mind that night,” Jefferson sniped back. “You put my madness to shame.”

“I was not mad,” Hook snapped, “you were a thief.”

“You were drunk,” Jefferson replied simply. “You thought I was stealing your ship.”

“You were bloody behind the helm! Smee even saw you, you were trying to sail the ship back to Wonderland or wherever the hell you came from-”

“Well maybe if you had better crewmen than that rat-”

“Don’t you _dare_ -”

“Enough,” Emma broke through, stepping between Jefferson and Hook. They were both glaring heatedly at each other, Jefferson with a more amused gleam and Hook with downright anger. Emma put her palms on Hook’s chest, trying to push him back. He tried to shove her away, but Emma was stronger than he gave her credit for. Hook scowled down at her. 

“I will not tolerate having this _thief_ on my ship.”

“That thief is trying to help save my son,” Emma said, stern. “He stays.”

Jefferson chuckled darkly. “Looks like she wants me here, Hook. We’re going to have a fun voyage, eh _Captain?_ ”

Hook raised his hook in anger, but Emma grabbed it, lowering his arm. “Stop. Hook! Please,” she begged, trying to get him to calm down. Hook just looked at her, contempt evident on his face. Emma rescinded, letting go of his hook. “Please. Just ignore him, okay?”

Hook was still fuming, but he turned away from them, looking out towards the sea. Emma shot Jefferson a warning look, and he backed up, rolling his eyes and going over to the helm to assist Leroy. Mary Margaret and Ruby gave Emma confused glances from the mast, but she ignored them, turning back to Hook. He still had his back to her, his long black coat whipping around his ankles furiously from the wind. 

“I don’t want that bastard on my ship,” Hook growled, his hand gripping the side of the ship so tightly his knuckles turned white. Emma stood beside him, putting a hand on his arm. 

“He really wants to help Henry,” Emma assured him, “I know he has good intentions.”

Hook looked over at her at that, his eyes no longer angry, but there was a darkness there that Emma hadn’t seen previously. “Do you trust him?”

Emma opened her mouth, but shut it instantly. She paused. She didn’t really trust anyone. But if she let Hook think she didn’t trust him, what’s to stop him from throwing Jefferson right off of the ship?

“I trust he will be on his best behavior,” Emma allowed, nodding. Hook was still looking at her with that odd look in his eyes, but his eyes then moved down to the hand that was on his arm. Emma made to remove it, but his hook was suddenly upon it, locking her to his arm. She let out a breath, looking up and seeing the familiar flirtatious smirk. Her heart skipped a beat for reasons unknown to Emma.

“Should I be jealous?” Hook pondered, raising his brow in questioning. Emma let out a small laugh, shaking her head. 

“I don’t think you should be anything,” Emma said. Jealous? Of Jefferson? Please. Emma wasn’t on this ship to find someone to fuck. She was here for her son. Getting with Jefferson in any sense of the term was the furthest thing from her mind. The idea of Captain Hook being jealous of the Mad Hatter for her attention made Emma’s still storybook adjusting head spin.

Hook still had his hook pinning her hand to his arm. She made a mental note to tell him that just because he had a hook didn’t mean he could trap people against other objects (namely, him) without their consent, but that thought faded away as Hook leaned in and pressed his lips to her ear.

“I could be a lot of things if you let me, love,” Hook whispered in a way that she knew was only meant for her. She shuddered as his breath tickled her ear, wishing she could push him away and yet yearning to feel his breath there again. He seemed to have forgotten their personal space talk earlier that day, or maybe he was just bent on torturing her. Probably a mixture of the two. Emma looked up, putting her other hand on top of his hook.

“Killian,” she warned. Hook chuckled and relented, slipping his hooked arm back to his side. Emma let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding in. She could see Mary Margaret scowling from over Hook’s shoulder; clearly, she had gotten the wrong impression from their encounter. Emma did not look forward to that conversation.

“We’re at optimal portal distance, Captain,” Leroy called from the helm. Hook gazed out towards the land, and then nodded. He turned to Emma, extending his hand. For a wild second Emma thought he wanted to hold hers, but then he asked for the bean. Obviously. Emma reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the beans that Tiny had given Mary Margaret. She placed it in his hand, feeling how weirdly soft his skin was. She was distracted for a second, until she saw Hook grinning.

“As much as I love you touching me, Swan, we’ve got a portal to open, so if you wouldn’t mind...”

“Sorry,” Emma apologized, her cheeks heating up. She was such an idiot. She was trying not to lead Hook on anymore than she seemed to already, yet there he was beaming like an idiot. Emma dropped the bean in his hand and backed away from him, going over to where Mary Margaret and Ruby were standing. Ruby was chatting about how cute Hook and Jefferson were and how she wouldn’t mind waking up in their quarters, but Mary Margaret gave Emma a serious look as she approached.

“Emma, is there something we need to discuss?”

“No,” Emma said quickly, “of course not. Hook just doesn’t understand the concept of personal space, that’s all.” 

Mary Margaret didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press it any further. Ruby giggled. 

“Alright, mates,” Hook called out from the bow, raising the bean above his head. Emma braced herself. This was it. They were finally going to Neverland. 

Hook launched the bean into the darkness, letting it cascade into the waters below. Emma feared they wouldn’t be able to find the portal in the darkness, but as soon as she thought it, the portal opened, water rushing in a loud whirlpool that crashed all around them. “Straight into the eye of it, dwarf,” Hook shouted over the sound, pointing towards the center of the portal. He looked over his shoulders at the three of them standing by the mast. “I suggest you lovelies find something to secure yourselves with. This is going to be a little turbulent.”

Emma found ropes tied around the mast and used them to secure herself, Mary Margaret and Ruby to the wooden pole. She saw Leroy and Jefferson doing the same at the helm. Hook, however, was not secured to anything. Emma’s eyes widened. 

“Hook,” she shouted, “go find something to hold onto!”

Hook shook his head, grinning. “I’m more than experienced in portal jumping, Swan. I can keep my balance on a jostling ship just fine, thanks.” 

Emma wasn’t having it. She didn’t care if he was Captain Hook or Jack Sparrow or fucking Davy Jones. She ran over to him, not caring how stupid she looked as she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, pulling him back towards the mast. Hook was startled, but he didn’t fight her. Instead, he relaxed into her hold, letting her tow him back to safety. “You really have a thing for grabbing me, don’t you?” Hook joked, but his eyes had that ravenous hunger that made Emma squirm. She rolled her eyes, ignoring the looks from Mary Margaret as she held onto Hook for dear life. 

The ship tipped into the portal, suddenly speeding up in ways she knew a normal ship wasn’t capable of. In the next second, she was flown back against the side of the ship, Hook still in her arms, the only thing holding them to the ship being the plain rope tied to the mast. How the hell did Hook think he could keep upright while they were spinning into another world? He had to be deluded. Emma tightened her grip around him, feeling the way his chest expanded in a breath as she did so. He managed to somehow turn around in her arms so that he was facing her. Instead of making some smartass comment, Hook raised his hand to her face, his fingers gliding down the side. It wasn’t fair, he knew she wouldn’t let go of him so she couldn’t stop his movements. He was just teasing her, but Emma felt a strong pull towards him that she couldn’t figure out. She felt protective over him in a way. She wondered if she would have reacted the same way if it had been Leroy standing by the side of the ship. She tried to tell herself she would have, but she truly didn’t know. 

The waves started to slow down and quiet, though Emma could still hear the rushing of the water. She had long since closed her eyes, the portal making her feel seasick. She felt a small nudge on the shoulder. “Emma, love,” Hook said quietly, “look.”

Emma looked.

What laid before her was the most incredible thing she had ever seen before in her life. A giant mountain sat upon a grassy green island, the coast of the island white with sandy, flawless beaches and the water as clear as crystal and as blue as a certain pirate’s eyes. The sun was rising behind the mountain, but that didn’t make sense; it was barely night time back in Storybrooke. Colors danced across the sky, playing off the water in a way that caused beautiful rainbows to reflect off the surface at millions of angles, making the water almost sparkle. Emma was enraptured; she couldn’t stop her jaw from dropping at the beautiful sight before her. She almost couldn’t remember why she was here. All she knew was that she wanted to sunbathe on those beaches, she wanted to feel the water against her skin as she swan, and she wanted to explore every bit of the glorious mountain. It was almost as if all her worries faded away.

Then Hook came into her vision, and she remembered she was on the Jolly Roger. She saw her mother and Ruby, Leroy and Jefferson staring dumfounded at the island in the very same way as she. Hook didn’t seem nearly as interested, instead a knowing look on his face as he looked upon Emma.

“Welcome,” he said, smiling, “to Neverland.”


End file.
